Farm Radio

Application Period for MFP Payments Opens Farm Service Agency offices starting today (Monday) are accepting producer applications for the Market Facilitation Program payments announced last week. The payments are part of the $16 billion trade aid package for producers in 2019. The Department of Agriculture expects the first round of payments to start mailing around mid-to-late August. A producer will receive 50 percent of the per-acre payment rate in the first round of payments. So, if a county-level rate is $60, the producer would receive $30 per-acre in August, and the remaining $30 would be split between two additional payments, if they’re determined necessary by the Trump administration, later in the year. Producers have until Friday, December 6, 2019, to apply. Dairy and hog producers are also eligible for aid, but have specific requirements producers must follow during the application process. USDA is encouraging all eligible producers to contact their local FSA office to appl...

Broomfield, Colo . - Colorado has become the third state in the U.S. to have confirmed cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV). Previous positive cases of vesicular stomatitis in 2019 have been diagnosed in Kinney and Tom Green counties in Texas and in Sandoval County, New Mexico. On July 3rd, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory reported positive test results on samples submitted from two horses in Weld County. The two horses reside on separate locations in Weld County and have been placed under quarantine. The initial Colorado disease investigation was completed by a field veterinarian from the State Veterinarian’s Office at the Colorado Department of Agriculture.  “Vesicular stomatitis can be painful for animals and costly to their owners,” said Colorado State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “The virus typically causes oral blisters and sores that can be painful causing difficulty in eating and drinking.” The Weld County epidemiological investigation indicates an incursion of...

 The Colorado Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory, a free publication that connects consumers with farmers’ markets, roadside stands, u-picks, wineries and agritourism activities throughout the state.  “For 35 years we have connected producers and consumers through Farm Fresh,” said Wendy White, marketing specialist for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “I love to see how excited everyone gets when local products are readily available.” The 2019 Colorado Farm Fresh Directory features more than 200 farms, ranches, roadside stands, u-picks and Community Supported Agriculture programs, and 100 farmers’ markets across the state. With 50 new listings this year, Farm Fresh includes farms offering tours, restaurants using local ingredients, wineries, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and farm and ranch vacations. A guide to county fairs, a crop calendar, food and agricultural festivals and tips for picking Colorad...

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today the availability of a  new web-based tool  – developed in partnership with the University of Wisconsin – to help dairy producers evaluate various scenarios using different coverage levels through the new  Dairy Margin Coverage  (DMC) program. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized DMC, a voluntary risk management program that offers financial protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. It replaces the program previously known as the Margin Protection Program for Dairy. Sign up for this USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) program opens on June 17. “With sign-up for the DMC program just weeks away, we encourage producers to use this new support tool to help make decisions on participation in the program,” Secretary Perdue said.  “Dairy producers have faced tough challenges over the years, bu...

The Bad, the Ugly, the Good on Wheat Lorrie Boyer “We are seeing less seeded wheat; lowest seeded area on record,  which is being attributed to rain in the plains last season causing planting issues,” says Senior Vice President of Communications for U.S. Wheat Associates, Steve Mercer. The bad here is that the trend is continuing and typically prices would rise for farmers as a result of this situation, but prices are staying flat, according to Mercer. Further, he says that the Russian crop is dominating in price buying in the middle East and “their crop looks good. They are a major player.” That is what causing the lack of price bump for U.S. farmers. That being said, prices are up over this time last year, but “they are not where we expect.” The ugly here is that the most recent USDA Stocks Report shows that there are 1.5 billion bushels of wheat stocks in the U.S. alone. He says that producers have done a good job producing wheat and conditions have been favorable. However...

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the initial down-select list of  136  Expressions of Interest received from parties in 35 states   vying to become the new homes of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).  USDA is following a  rigorous site selection process  to identify the new locations with involvement from USDA, ERS, and NIFA leadership.  “The announcement of this middle list shows that we are committed to the important missions of these agencies and transparency in our selection process. USDA will make the best choice for our employees and customers,” Perdue said. “Relocation will help ensure that USDA is the most effective, most efficient, and most customer-focused agency in the federal government, allowing us to be closer to our stakeholders and move our resources closer to our customers.”  For this initial down-select...

It's going to be a busy few weeks for the KSIR Ag News Department. We will be at the Colorado Farm in our regular booth spot, in the Exhibition building January 29-31. We will be broadcasting from there and invite everyone to stop and say hi. On January 30, KSIR Farm News Director, Lorrie Boyer will be flying out to New Orleans, LA to attend the National Cattlemen's Beef Association annual meeting. She will be speaking as President of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, helping run the NAFB booth and conduct interviews. Then, immediately after, she heads to San Antonio, TX. to attend the National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting. There she will be speaking, moderating panels and Emceeing their auction fundraiser. Sandwiched in there is spending some time at the Governor's Ag Forum on February 28th in Denver. Prior to the forum, the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will hold their annual meeting, on February 27th. Boyer ...